There stood by the
cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother's sister Mary of
Cleophas, and Salome, and Mary Magdalen. (Jn.)Woman, behold
thy son, said Jesus; and to the disciple, Behold thy Mother.
Glory be to the Father. There stood...

O God,
in Whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, the
sword of sorrow pierce the most sweet soul of the glorious
Mary, Virgin and Mother; mercifully grant that we who with
devotion honor her Sorrows, may obtain the happy fruits of
Thy passion: Who livest and reignest.

The Lord hath blessed
thee by His power, because by thee He hath brought our
enemies to nought. Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord
the most high God, above all women upon the earth. Blessed
be the Lord Who made heaven and earth, because He hath so
magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not
depart out of the mouth of men, who shall be mindful of the
power of the Lord for ever; for that thou hast not spared
thy life by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy
people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our
God.

Thou art full of
sorrow and of tears, O Virgin Mary, standing near the cross
of the Lord Jesus, Thy Son, the Redeemer. O Virgin Mother of
God, He Whom the whole world doth not contain, beareth this
torment of the cross, the Author of life made man.

Holy Mary, the Queen
of heaven and mistress of the world, stood by the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ, full of sorrows. O all ye that pass
by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to
my sorrow.

sequence

Stabat Mater
dolorósa
Iuxta Crucem lacrimósa,
Dum pendébat Fílius.

At the Cross her
station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Cuius ánimam geméntem,
Contristátam et doléntem
Pertransívit gládius.

Through her heart, His
sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword had passed.

O quam tristis et
afflícta
Fuit illa benedícta
Mater Unigéniti!

Oh, how sad and sore
distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole begotten One!

Quæ mærébat et
dolébat,
Pia Mater, dum vidébat
Nati poenas íncliti.

Christ above in
torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.

At
that time, there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother and
His Mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen.
When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and teh disciple
standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman,
behold thy son. After that He saith to the disciple: Behold
thy Mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his
own.

We offer unto Thee our prayers and O Lord Jesus Christ, and
humbly beseech Thee that, even as in humiliter our prayers
we recall the piercing of the most sweet soul of Thy
blessed Mother Mary, so through the merits of Thy death, and
the repeated loving intercession of Thy Mother and her holy
companions at the foot of the we may share in the reward of
the blessed: Who livest and reignest.

It it truly meet and
just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all
times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy
Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should
praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Transfixion of
the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine
only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost,
and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to
the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations
worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the
heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in
triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these
we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be
admitted while we say with lowly praise:

We have been filled
with heavenly food and refreshed with spiritual drink, and
beseech Thee, almighty God, through the intercession of
blessed John, Thy Confessor, to defend us from the malicious
enemy and to keep Thy Church in perpetual peace. Through our
Lord.